A Dinner to Remember

Ever since I was a kid, I have had a huge fascination with the Titanic. I was six years old when Dr. Robert Ballard discovered the wreck of the Titanic in 1985. My brother had a book of pictures from his explorations and when he was done with it, I quickly claimed that book as my own.

It's hard to believe that it's been 27 years since the wreckage was discovered...and 100 years since the Titanic sank.

Here is one very poignant quote I found by Robert Ballard:

"The discovery was a celebratory moment at first, until the realization set in that the site was actually a mass graveyard. What really brought that message home, Ballard explained, were the pairs of shoes they found lying on the ocean floor. After the passengers either froze to death or drowned, their bodies sank...over the years, their bones dissolved into the seawater. All that remained was their shoes, which remained in pairs where they landed.

'When we saw those shoes, we saw the tombstones,' he said."

There is so much that I find fascinating about the story of the Titanic. The false confidence that was so overwhelming during the Guilded Age. The stark contrast between the opulence of the first class and the poverty of the third class. The changes--that now seem everyday and commonplace--that were made as a result of that disaster (for instance, the use of SOS for a distress signal and lifeboats for more than the capacity that a ship can carry). The amazing survival instincts that are just innate in some people. The heightening of human character--these kinds of tragedies bring out the best and the worst in people. Some people became heroes and others showed their cowardice.

Recently, during one of my mother's frequent trips to the library, she discovered a book called Last Dinner on the Titanic: Menus and Recipes from the Great Liner by Rick Archbold and Dana McCauley. We were fascinated by this book. Not only did it contain actual recipes that were served on the last night of the Titanic's voyage, but it contained more historical anecdotes in regards to the Titanic, her passengers, and the times in which she was created.

You really should check out this wonderful book (ISBN-13: 978-0-7868-6303-7). My mom checked it out from the library...and renewed it two times (the limit). Then, I checked it out from the library and renewed it two times. And then we just bought the book because we knew it was a keeper!

So, we decided to try some of these recipes on the anniversary of the Titanic's sinking.

This book is fascinating because it includes the menus for first, second, and third class meals.

The book states "...none of the surviving passengers who ate at the A La Carte restaurant on that last evening tucked a copy of the menu into the pockets of a dinner jacket, so we can only surmise what the bill of fare included...The menu we present here is one we have invented based on the fragments of evidence describing what was actually eaten that night--caviar, lobster, and "plover eggs" (We've substituted quail eggs). This menu comprises a series of courses, following the classic pattern, that a knowledgeable diner might have chosen from a similar a la carte menu of the time. In all there are eight courses. A dessert of cheese and fruit makes an optional, but virtually obligatory, ninth course."

Below is the menu they have mapped out in their book (I'm sharing the English names for the dishes rather than the French ones).

First Class a la Carte Menu:

First Course--Hors D'Oeuvre: Quail Eggs in Aspic with Caviar served with White Bordeaux or White Burgundy (aspic is a fancy word for gelatin)

Second Course--Potage: Spring Pea Soup served with Madeira or Sherry

Third Course--Poisson: Lobster Thermidor with Duchess Potatoes served with Dry Rhine or Moselle

Fourth Course--Entree: Tournedos with Morels on a Bed of Braised Cabbage (tender beef and wild mushrooms) served with Red Bordeaux

Fifth Course--Punch or Sorbet: Rose Water and Mint Sorbet (palate cleanser)

Sixth Course--Roti: Quails with Cherries served with Red Burgundy

Seventh Course--Legume: Spring Asparagus Hollaindaise

Eight Course--Entremets: Fresh Fruit Salad and Orange Surprise served with Sweet Dessert Wines such as Muscatel, Tokay, Medeira.

Ninth Course--Les Desserts: Assorted fresh fruits and cheeses served with Sweet Dessert Wines, Champagne, or Sparkling Wine

After Dinner: Coffee, Cigars, Port, or Cordials

Whew!

And THAT was for the a la carte restaurant.

The First-Class Dining Saloon had a menu of its own. The book states "Of the two menus that survive from the night of April 14, 1912, one comes from the first-class dining saloon. It is therefore possible to re-create in its entirety the sumptuous meal enjoyed by some of the ship's most renowned passengers--John Jacob Astor, Benjamin Guggenheim, Isidor and Ida Straus, the Unsinkable Molly Brown, et al."

That First-Class Dining Saloon Menu is as follows:

First Course--Hors D'Oeuvre: Canapes a l'amiral and Oysters a la Russe

Second Course--Soups: Consomme Olga and Cream of Barley Soup

Third Course--Fish: Poached Salmon with Mousseline Sauce

Fourth Course--Entrees: Chicken Lyonnaise; Filets Mignons Lili; and Vegetable Marrow Farci

Fifth Course--Removes: Lamb with Mint Sauce; Calvados-Glazed Roast Duckling with Applesauce; Roast Sirloin of Beef Forestiere; Chateau Potatoes; Minted Green Pea Timbales; and Creamed Carrots

Sixth Course--Punch or Sorbet: Punch Romaine

Seventh Course--Roast: Roasted Squab on Wilted Cress

Eighth Course--Salad: Asparagus Salad with Champagne-Saffron Vinaigrette

Ninth Course--Cold Dish: Foie gras marinated in Madeira with truffles

Tenth Course--Sweets: Waldorf Pudding; Peaches in Chartreuse Jelly; Chocolate Painted Eclairs with French Vanilla Cream; and French Vanilla Ice Cream

Eleventh Course--Dessert: cheese and fruit

After Dinner: coffee, cigars, port, and cordials.

Wow, I don't know about you, but after a dinner like that, it would be time to loosen those belts or corsets, ladies and gentlemen! I like this quote from the book "Stomachs have shrunk, for no one today could eat the meals that were swallowed as a matter of course fifty years ago." Noel Streatfeild, 1956.

The second class menu wasn't nearly as sumptuous as the first class menu, but it was still a fantastic meal. This second class menu was the second of only two menus from April 14, 1912 that survived the sinking of the Titanic. So, we know that it is accurate.

Here is the second class menu:

First Course--Soup: Consomme with Tapioca

Second Course--Main Dishes: Baked Haddock with Sharp Sauce; Curried Chicken and Rice; Lamb with Mint Sauce; Roast Turkey with Savory Cranberry Sauce; Turnip Puree; Green Peas; Boiled Rice; Boiled and Roast Potatoes

Third Course--Desserts: Plum Pudding with Sweet Sauce; Wine Jelly; Coconut Sandwich; American Ice Cream; Assorted Nuts; Fresh Fruit; Cheese; Biscuits

After Dinner: Coffee.

As for third class dining, no menus survive from April 14, 1912. But a menu from April 12, 1912 survived. The third class menus were printed for the day. It is difficult to read because it is water-stained, but it describes a breakfast consisting of oatmeal porridge and milk, smoked herrings, jacket potatoes, fresh rolls with butter, tea, and coffee.

Following the third class customs of the time, below you will find a menu that the authors created to approximate what they might have eaten on that last night.

3rd Class Menu:

Dinner: Vegetable Soup; Roasted Pork with Sage and Pearl Onions; Green Peas; Boiled Potatoes; Plum Pudding with Sweet Sauce; Cabin Biscuits; and Oranges.

Tea: Ragout of Beef with Potatoes and Pickles; Currant Buns; Fresh Bread and Butter; Apricots; and Tea.

Above: a picture of an actual biscuit from 1912 that was saved from one of the Titanic's lifeboats. We made some of our own following the book's recipe. You can find the recipe for Cabin Biscuits below with the other recipes.

In closing, the book talks about some of the kitchen staff and chefs continuing to make bread even after the ship collided with the iceberg. Up until a little after midnight, they went about their business preparing food for the following day.

Here is a fascinating story shared by this book regarding the Titanic's chief baker:

"When all the lifeboats had departed, more than half of the Titanic's passenger's and crew remained on the ship. One of these was the chief baker, Charles Joughin, who had passed a most eventful night. When first wakened by the impact, he had immediately organized a party of bakers to provision the lifeboats with any bread they could find. Then he had helped load the boats and even bullied reluctant passengers into leaving the sinking ship. For a long time, many refused to believe the 'unsinkable' Titanic was doomed. When all the boats were away, Joughin began throwing wooden chairs overboard for use as life rafts. Whenever he needed a break, he nipped back to his cabin on E-deck for a snort of whiskey. By the time the ship was about to sink, he seems hardly to have minded.

Passengers crowded to the stern as the bow sank, but few, if any, had baker Joughin's presence of mind or his ability to keep his balance as the stern lurched and twisted and stood up almost on end. Calmly, almost nonchalantly, he stepped over the starboard rail and began climbing the side of the ship until he stood on the upended stern. He cinched his lifebelt as the ship began its plunge, stepped calmly into the water, and swam gently away.

Thanks, presumably, to the alcohol in his blood acting as an anti-freeze, Joughin survived several hours in the icy water and emerged none the worse for the experience."

Wow. It's amazing how people can find so many different ways to perform acts of heroism. He did everything he could for others for as long as he could. And I am amazed at his presence of mind. For him to think of people needing food in the lifeboats in case help didn't come quickly and organizing his staff to put bread into the lifeboats was amazing. Then, to think of throwing chairs into the water to provide flotation devices for those in need? So smart. He may have been warmed up by whiskey, but his thought-processes were as clear and sharp as ever. It is stories like this that make these kinds of events stay in the minds and hearts of generations to come. Acts of incredible heroism in the face of tragedy like this are what buoy up our hope and faith in mankind.

So many stories...

And as you can tell from the menus above, just one evening's worth of food on this ship included a multitude of recipes. We were only able to try a handful. But I will share with you the ones we did try. And might I add that each and every recipe was fantastic. The cooks on the Titanic definitely knew what they were doing.

So, without further ado, let me share with you the wonderful recipes we tried. Oh, and as a nod to first class vs. third class social politics, we served our first class feast on paper plates!

Chicken Lyonnaise

First Class

This is one of the most delicious items on the first-class dinner menu. The sauce is from Lyons, considered by many to be the gastronomic capital of France, and employs two foods for which the area is renowned--onions from the Rhone Valley and poultry from Bresse.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme (or 1 tbsp dried)
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
6 boneless chicken breasts
1 egg, beaten
3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 onions, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 cup white wine (or additional chicken stock)
1 cup chicken stock
2 tsp tomato paste
Pinch granulated sugar

Directions:

In sturdy plastic bag, shake together flour, 1 tbsp of the thyme (or 1 1/2 tsp if using dried), salt, and pepper. One at a time, dip chicken breasts into egg, and then shake in flour mixture.

In large deep skillet, heat 2 tbsp of the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Place chicken in pan, skin side down. Cook, turning once, for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from skillet and place in 225 degree F oven.

Reduce heat to medium; add remaining oil to skillet. Stir in onions, garlic, and remaining thyme; cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until onions are translucent. Increase heat to medium-high and continue to cook onions, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until golden brown.

Add wine (or chicken stock) to pan; cook, stirring to scrape up any brown bits, for about 1 minute or until reduced by half. Stir in stock, tomato paste, and sugar. Boil for 2 minutes or until beginning to thicken. Return chicken to pan, turning to coat, and cook for 5 minutes or until juices from chicken run clear. Makes 6 servings.

Notes: This was so good. The caramelized onions were delicious and the sauce was fantastic.

Creamed Carrots

First Class

The standard in Edwardian times was to cook vegetables until soft. Here, as a concession to modern tastes, we recommend cooking the carrots until easily pierced by a fork.

Ingredients:

8 or 9 medium carrots, julienned
1 cinnamon stick (or 1 tsp ground cinnamon)
1 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Pinch of pepper
1 tsp lemon juice
1/3 cup whipping cream
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh chives

Directions:

Place carrots in medium saucepan with enough water to cover; add cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-high, and cook for 6-8 minutes or until carrots are fork-tender. Drain, remove cinnamon stick, and return carrots to pan. Add butter, salt, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and pepper; mix well. Add lemon juice and cream; boil for 1 minute or until cream is slightly thickened.

Adjust seasoning if necessary. Turn into shallow serving bowl; sprinkle with chives and serve. makes 6 servings.

Notes: The flavor of this was so addicting. It was unique and so delicious. The spices complemented the carrots so well.

Chauteau Potatoes

First Class

Called "chateau" because they were a country favorite of French nobility, these would go well with any of the removes. Chefs of the day used turning knives (crescent-moon-bladed paring knives) to cut the potatoes into eight-sided jewel shapes.

Ingredients:

6 medium potatoes
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper

Directions:

Peel potatoes; using a turning knife, cut into eight-sided jewel shapes (alternatively, cut into thick, evenly shaped wedges). Meanwhile, place butter, oil, and rosemary in large, rimmed baking sheet. Set pan in 425 degree F oven for 2-3 minutes or until butter is sizzling.

Pat potatoes dry; place in heated pan and stir to coat with butter mixture. Bake in 425 degree F oven, stirring occasionally, for 35-40 minutes or until potatoes are golden brown. Season with salt and pepper. Makes 6 servings.

Notes: What in the world does this recipe mean by cutting the potatoes into "eight-sided jewel shapes" Is it a 3D octagon? At any rate, we simply peeled and sliced them.

Punch Rose (Rose Water and Mint Sorbet)

First Class

Although you can make your own rose water with organically grown rose petals, it can be found ready-made in a Middle Eastern market because it is still widely used in Middle Eastern and North African cooking. Rose water became popular in the seventeenth century as a flavoring for desserts and would have been familiar to Edwardian palates.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups rose water (see notes)
1 cup water
1/2 cup Simple Syrup (recipe follows)
1/4 cup lightly packed mint leaves
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice

Directions:

In blender or food processor, mix together rose water, water, simple syrup, mint leaves, and lemon juice. Blend until mint is finely chopped.

Pour into ice-cream maker and freeze following manufacturer's instructions. Or, pour mixture into chilled, shallow metal pan; cover and freeze for 2 hours or until firm. Break up into pieces and transfer to food processor; puree until smooth. Pour into chilled, airtight container; freeze for 20 minutes or until almost firm. Soften in refrigerator for 10 minutes before serving. Serve in chilled open champagne glasses or make ice bowls. Makes 2 1/2 cups and serves 4-6.

Simple Syrup

Ingredients:

2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup water

Directions:

In large pot, combine sugar and water; cook over medium heat, stirring gently, until sugar is completely dissolved. Bring to boil and cook for 1 minute or until syrup is clear. Let cool. (Syrup can be stored in a sterilized container in the refrigerator for up to one month.) Makes 2 cups.

Notes: Now, I like rose water. I really do. But this was really, really strong. Too strong for my tastes. It was almost like sorbet made from perfume. However, we decided that if it had less rose water in it, it would be fantastic. Just a hint of rose flavoring would have been lovely. This was just too much.

Here's how we would have broken down the ingredient list instead:

Revised Punch Rose Ingredient List:

1/2 cup rose water
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup Simple Syrup
1/4 cup lightly packed mint leaves
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice

Macedoine de fruits (Fresh Fruit Salad)

This light, sweet dish is named for the ancient kingdom of Macedonia, birthplace of Alexander the Great. It can be made from whatever combination of fresh fruit is on hand.

Ingredients:

2 pears
2 peaches
2 plums
1/2 cup red currants or raspberries
2 tbsp lemon juice
3/4 cup Simple Syrup (recipe found above with the Rose Punch recipe)
1/4 cup lightly packed mint leaves
2 tbsp kirsch or rum, optional
1/4 cup slivered almonds, optional

Directions:

Peel pears, peaches, and plums; dice into small, uniform pieces. Stir together diced fruit, currants or raspberries, and lemon juice. In blender, puree syrup and mint until liquefied; pour over fruit. Add kirsch or rum (optional); stir to combine. Let stand at room temperature for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, spread almonds on rimmed baking sheet. Place in 350 degree F oven for 2 minutes or until lightly toasted. Sprinkle toasted almonds over fruit mixture just before serving. Makes servings.

Notes: We excluded the almonds because of my son's tree nut allergy. We also used raspberries instead of currants. But this was such a wonderful fruit salad. The mint and simple syrup gives it such a light and yet unique taste. I couldn't get enough of this!

Cabin Biscuits

Third Class

More like crackers than biscuits, these simple breads were a shipboard remedy for unsettled stomachs. In their original form, they were fairly unpalatable. here we offer some suggestions for making them more of a snack and less of a medicine.

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp shortening
3/4 cup water

Directions:

In bowl, mix together flour and salt. using fingertips, work shortening into flour until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Make well in dry ingredients and pour in water. Blend until mixture forms a stiff dough, adding up to 2 tsp extra water if necessary.

Place on lightly floured surface and roll into cylinder. Cut into 25 evenly sized pieces; loosely cover with plastic wrap; let rest for 15 minutes. Roll each piece of dough into 2 1/2 inch circle. Prick all over with fork. Place on ungreased baking sheet; bake in 375 degree F oven for about 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Makes 25 biscuits.

Variations:

Spray unbaked biscuits lightly with water and sprinkle with rock salt. Bake as above.

After 10 minutes of baking, sprinkle biscuits with Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley; bake for 5 minutes longer.

Before baking, brush unbaked biscuits lightly with butter; sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.

Notes: I doubled this recipe. For the first batch, I brushed it with butter and sprinkled it with cinnamon and sugar. For the second batch, I brushed it with butter and sprinkled it with small rock salt crystals. Personally, I preferred the rock salt version...they were similar to saltine crackers. But my sons liked the cinnamon and sugar batch better.

But to be honest, these aren't really that great tasting. Their purpose was to calm a queasy stomach or to provide basic sustenance if necessity called for it. However, for the sake of history, they are still interesting to make and try.

Honoring the Past: My Paternal Grandparents

My paternal grandparents both died before I turned 8 years old. My grandmother died when I was about 3 and my grandfather died when I was 6 or 7 (my memory is fuzzy on the exact timing).

I only have one memory of my grandmother. I remember going over to their house and she picked me up and sat me on the counter next to her and talked to me. I don't know what she said, but I can still remember the love I felt from her as she spoke. Luckily, she left behind a wonderful journal and had it published and given to each of her children. My father had additional copies published which he gifted to each of his children. Being able to read her words helps me feel so close to her. It has helped me come to know a remarkable woman that I otherwise would not have known.

Regarding my grandmother, from everything I have heard, she was an unenthusiastic cook. I don't really blame her though. Reading her journal, she had enough other things to worry about (she had a total of 12 kids! Cooking elaborate meals was probably the last thing on her mind). She made very simple meals. She studied nursing in her youth and during WWII. As evidenced by her nursing skills, her talents lay in many other areas besides cooking. However, she did pass on one absolutely delicious recipe to my mother for roast pork.

It was so fun to make. I had never roasted pork before--I always rely on the slow cooker for things like that. I'm so glad I tried it. It was absolutely delicious. So flavorful. But more than that, it made me wonder how many times she made it, what occasions she made it for, and how many roasts she had to make in order to feed her 12 hungry children and her meat loving husband. I was amazed at how something so physical as food could bring about such a close emotional connection with my grandma for me.

I recently reread some portions of her journal and was surprised to discover that for a good portion of her growing-up years, she lived almost exactly where I am living now. From her descriptions, this area has changed a lot since the 1930's and 1940's, but it was neat to think that she and I have walked the same ground.

As for my grandpa, he was actually a great cook. He was always a food-loving man. While he appreciated the many other talents my grandma had, he still wanted some great cooking from time to time. So, he got his sister (who was reportedly a fantastic cook) to teach him how to cook. We used to go over to my Grandpa's house for Sunday dinners. He used to make the best roast beef, mashed potatoes, gravy, and South Cottonwood Carrots that you ever tasted (For convenience, I am re-posting that recipe here even though we posted it last year in one of our Thanksgiving posts. It has been one of our Thanksgiving dinner side-dish staples ever since I can remember. If you want to view the original post, you can find it recipe here). And with 12 children and numerous grandchildren, it makes you wonder how much work went into those Sunday dinners. How many pounds of potatoes were peeled? How many roasts were cooked? And it was all done so that we could gather together as a family. I had so much fun with my cousins on those Sundays. I'm glad that it was important enough for my grandparents to go to all that trouble, time, and expense so that we could have those experiences.

But apart from being a meat and potatoes man, my grandpa LOVED chocolate. And the chocolate he loved was GOOD chocolate. Grandpa would carry around these mouth-watering chocolate balls that were wrapped in bright colored foil that was very thin and fun to peel (at least that's what I remembered as a kid). As he drove down his neighborhood, if he saw any children out in their yards, he would throw handfuls of chocolate balls out his car windows onto their lawns as the children scurried to gather it up in excitement. Whenever he went to the bank, he would give the tellers these same chocolate balls. At one of my jobs, about 4 years ago, someone brought in a gift basket and I swear it contained a small bag of those exact same chocolate balls (or something very close to it). I'm afraid I didn't leave any of those chocolate balls for my co-workers! But I don't feel badly about that at all! There were only about 10 small chocolate balls and there were a lot of other goodies left over in the gift basket that my co-workers got to munch on! Besides, they never knew.

Two of my grandpa's favorite chocolate treats to make were chocolate covered strawberries and chocolate coconut haystacks. They are both incredibly simple to make. So simple in fact, that they are dangerous. They are just too easy to make, and thus have around and eat too much of! According to my Mom, my grandpa knew she craved chocolate covered strawberries during one of her pregnancies and he kept surprising her with plate after plate of them as gifts. Also according to my Mom, she gained way too much weight that pregnancy! Can you blame her? Would you be able to resist chocolate covered strawberries? Especially when you were pregnant? I couldn't.

Making (and eating) these chocolate treats for the purpose of this blog post took me right back. It was like a time machine! I just can't help but think of my grandpa and visits to his house when I eat those strawberries and coconut haystacks. It's the same reason I love lilacs. There was a grove of lilac bushes across the street from my grandfather's house that we used to play hide and seek in. As an adult, I realize now how short a span of time lilacs are actually in bloom. But as a child, those lilacs always seemed to be flowering...continually wafting their wonderful and breathtaking perfume as we ran to and fro in between the branches.

My mother also shared with me my grandfather's favorite recipe for chocolate cherry cake.

I'm going to share all of these recipes with you. Now, they won't carry the same connection for you that they do for me (unless you're related to me, of course!). But they are delicious just the same and can be enjoyed in their own right.

Grandma Vivian Mackay's Pork Roast

Ingredients:

Pork roast (I used a pork loin roast)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Sage, fresh or dried, to taste
Onion salt, to taste

Directions:

Sprinkle pork roast with salt, pepper, sage, and onion salt, to taste. Bake in a 300 degree oven for one hour per pound (so, a 3 lb. roast will bake for 3 hours).

Source: As stated above, this wonderful recipe came from my grandmother.

Notes: I cooked my roast in a 9x13 glass dish. I added about 1 cup of water to the bottom of the pan to help the roast stay moist. Once the pork was finished, I used this water, combined with the drippings that were rendered to make a gravy which I served over simple mashed potatoes. I made gravy using prepared pork gravy packets and used the drippings in place of the water called for on the package.




South Cottonwood Carrots

Ingredients:

2 lb. grated carrots
1 pt. whipping cream
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup butter
1 cup sugar

Combine all ingredients in a heavy saucepan. Cook on medium to medium-high, stirring often, 45 minutes or so until carrots are caramelized. Everyone's stove-top is a little different. You want the carrots to caramelize, not to burn. This is achieved through a steady low-boil. But watch carefully so that they don't burn.

Serves 8

Source: This was one of my Grandpa Mackay's signature recipes. I'm not sure where he got it from though. Maybe he got it from his sister or maybe he made it up. At any rate, I'm sure glad he passed it on to us. It is super yummy!


Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Ingredients:

Chocolate (milk, semi-sweet, dark, or white)
Strawberries

Directions:

Melt chocolate either in on the stove-top in a double boiler or in the microwave in a microwave-safe bowl (by microwaving at 30 second intervals and stirring between each cooking time).

Dip strawberries into the chocolate and spin the strawberries around to coat evenly on all sides. Place coated strawberries on a cookie sheet covered in waxed paper. Place in the refrigerator until the chocolate is set.

You can make the strawberries fancy by drizzling more chocolate (or another kind of chocolate) on top of the strawberries in a pretty pattern. But it's not necessary. It's just more work and they still taste wonderful in their simple form!

Source: Again, this one came from my grandpa.

Notes: I didn't offer any ingredient amounts because it simply depends on how much you want to make. A little chocolate goes a long way though. I would say that a half cup of melted chocolate is enough to coat about 10 strawberries, at least.


Chocolate Coconut Haystacks

Ingredients:

Sweetened flaked coconut
Chocolate (milk chocolate, semi-sweet, or dark--your preference)

Directions:

Toast the coconut. This can be done in the oven (at 300 degrees for about 20 minutes), a toaster oven, the stove-top (over medium heat, stirring frequently), or the microwave (cooked at 15 second intervals and stirred between each cooking time).

Melt the chocolate either in a double-boiler or in the microwave (at 30 second intervals, stirred between each cooking time).

Once the chocolate is melted and smooth, pour the coconut into the chocolate and stir until the coconut is coated completely. Drop by spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper. Refrigerate until the chocolate is completely set.

Source: Again, this came from my wonderful chocolate loving grandpa!

Notes: Also again, I didn't offer ingredient amounts because it depends on how much you want to make. But it is about a 50/50 ratio. So, for example, 1/2 cup of toasted coconut and 1/2 cup of melted chocolate. Just enough for the coconut to become evenly coated.

If you want to make this prettier and a little less messy, you can place the spoonfuls of the chocolate/coconut mixture into truffle/candy paper cups (they look like miniature cupcake baking cups).

This is honestly one of my favorite chocolate partnerships. Chocolate and peanut butter...check. Chocolate and caramel...check. Chocolate and mint...check. Chocolate and pretty much any kind of fruit...check (see above recipe for proof!). Chocolate and coconut...check (an absolute must!).



Grandpa Clayton Mackay's Favorite Chocolate Cherry Cake

Ingredients:

Cake:

1 chocolate or fudge cake mix
1 can cherry pie filling
1 tsp almond extract (vanilla extract can also be used)
2 eggs, beaten

Frosting:

1 cup sugar
5 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/3 cup milk
6 oz pkg. chocolate chips

Directions:

Grease a 9x13 or 10x15 pan. In bowl, combine ingredients and stir by hand until well mixed and pour into pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes. While cooling, prepare frosting.

Combine sugar, butter, and milk in saucepan. Boil, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips.

Frost the cooled cake with the warm frosting. Serve.

Source: I'm not sure where my grandpa found this recipe...but to me, it came from him!

Notes: We had to use vanilla extract because of my son's tree nut allergy. It was good with the vanilla extract...but it would have been even better with the almond extract.

Recipes From the Past: Italian Recipes from the Old Country, circa 1950's

My mom had some cookbooks that she was going to throw out when we moved out of the house we all grew up in (nearly ten years ago). She gave away a lot of the books, but before she did, I sifted through them and kept some for myself.

One of the books I kept is so old that it is missing the cover. I kept three that were pretty similar, so after comparing the books and a little online research, I am pretty sure that these recipes came out of The Culinary Arts Institute's "The Italian Cookbook" published in 1955.

My Dad served his mission in Italy in the 70's. According to him, the tomato meat sauce that I am sharing here tastes the closest to what he ate while he was in Italy on his mission. As a result, this sauce was always one of his favorites. From this same cookbook, you will find a fantastic recipe for chicken cacciatore that became one of my Mom's favorites.

I can't wait to explore this cookbook more. I don't know why I haven't tried sooner. The recipes really are fantastic and very authentic. They take a little more time (oh wait, that's why I haven't delved into this book more), but believe me, these recipes are worth a little more time and effort.

Oh, and don't leave too soon because I included some bonus recipes below the two recipes pictured in this post. Buon Italia!


Dad's Favorite Spaghetti Sauce aka Tomato Meat Sauce (Salsa di Carne al Pomodoro)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup (about 1 medium-size) chopped onion
1/2 lb. beef chuck
1/2 lb. pork shoulder
7 cups canned tomatoes, sieved (basically, two 28 oz cans of whole peeled tomatoes mixed in a blender until smooth)
1 Tbsp. salt
1 bay leaf
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
1 (6 oz.) can Italian seasoned tomato paste
1/2 cup water, if necessary

Directions:

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and cook until softened and lightly browned. Add the beef chuck and pork shoulder to the skillet and cook, turning occasionally until browned. Add the canned tomatoes, salt, and bay leaf. Cover the saucepan and simmer over very low heat for about 2 1/2 hours. After the mixture has simmered for 2 1/2 hours, add the two cans of tomato paste. Simmer uncovered over very low heat, stirring occasionally, about two hours or until thickened. If sauce becomes too thick, add 1/2 cup of water. Remove the meat and bay leaf from the sauce. Serve over cooked spaghetti.

Makes about 4 cups of sauce.

Source: As mentioned above, I believe this came from the Culinary Arts Institute's "The Italian Cookbook" published in 1955.

Notes: The pork and beef that you will be removing from the sauce adds a wonderful flavor. But, it is actually delicious on its own too. My Dad loved to eat it on the side of his pasta. You could even cut up or shred the meat and keep it in the sauce if you like.

My burner doesn't have the capacity to "simmer over very low heat" as the recipe mentions. My burner burns hotter than the surface of the sun even when it's on low heat. There's a very low heat option that does this annoying flick on and flick off of the burner flame that is quite noisy. But for some reason, it wasn't working the night I made this and when I tried to put it on the lowest heat setting, the burner just turned off completely. As a result, my "simmering" was pretty much a low boil...so a lot of the liquid in my sauce evaporated. I added an additional 28 oz can of tomatoes to the sauce to make up for it.


Sauce variations listed in the cookbook:

Tomato Sauce with Ground Meat (Salsa di pomodoro e Carne Macinata)

Follow the base recipe. Brown 1/2 lb. ground beef in 3 tablespoons olive oil, breaking beef into small pieces with fork or spoon. After removing meat from sauce, add ground meat and simmer 10 minutes longer.

Tomato Sauce with Mushrooms (Salsa di Pomodoro e Funghi)

Follow the base recipe. Clean and slice 1/2 lb. mushrooms. Cook slowly in 3 tablespoons melted butter until lightly browned. After removing meat from sauce, add mushrooms and cook 10 minutes longer.

Tomato Sauce with Sausage (Salsa di Pomodoro e Salsiccia)

Follow the base recipe. Brown about 1/2 lb. Italian sausage (cut into 2 inch pieces, or crumbled, if you prefer) in 1 tablespoon olive oil. After removing meat from sauce, add sausage and simmer 10 minutes longer.


Mom's Favorite Chicken Cacciatore (Pollo alla Cacciatora)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
1 frying chicken, 2-3 lbs.
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 eggs, well beaten
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 1/2 cups tomatoes, sieved (or one 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes mixed in a blender until smooth)
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon chopped parsley
1 small onion, optional
1/2 lb. mushrooms (whole or sliced), optional
3 Tbsp. butter or margarine, optional
1 green bell pepper, sliced, optional

Directions:

Prepare and coat chicken as follows:

Disjoint and cut chicken into serving-size pieces. Rinse and pat dry with paper towel (called "absorbent paper" in the recipe! I guess they hadn't coined the phrase "paper towel" yet.). To coat chicken evenly, shake 2 or 3 pieces at a time in a plastic bag containing a mixture of the flour, salt, and black pepper. Combine the beaten eggs, milk, and chopped parsley.

Heat olive oil and garlic in a heavy skillet until garlic is lightly browned.

When oil is ready, dip each piece of coated chicken into the egg mixture. Then, roll the chicken pieces in the grated Parmesan cheese.

Starting with meaty pieces of chicken, place them skin-side down in the skillet containing oil and garlic. Add less meaty pieces of chicken as others brown. To brown all sides, turn as necessary with tongs or two spoons.

While chicken is browning, combine tomatoes, salt, oregano, and pepper. Slowly add tomato mixture to browned chicken with the chopped parsley.

Clean and thinly slice 1 small onion, 1/2 lb. mushrooms, and green pepper, if using. (Note: if you are using the green pepper, you can omit the onion, if you like) Cook in 3 tablespoons butter or margarine in a skillet until onion and mushrooms are lightly browned. Add to browned chicken with tomato mixture.

Cook slowly 25-30 minutes, or until thickest pieces of chicken are tender when pierced with a fork. If mixture tends to become too thick, add a small amount of water.

Source: Again, as mentioned, I'm pretty positive that this is from The Culinary Arts Institute's "The Italian Cookbook" published in 1955.

Notes: Serve the sauce over your favorite pasta (that would be spaghetti for me!). I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts rather than cutting up a fryer chicken. I think it would have been crispier chicken if it still had the skin on it, but I saved a few calories this way and it was a lot faster and easier too. I also included a little more chopped parsley in the flour mixture I used for coating because the parsley in the egg mixture wasn't really staying on the chicken.

Also, my garlic cloves were small, so I decided to use four cloves instead of two. It was soooo yummy, but I'll be honest with you, I had garlic dragon breath for the rest of the night (despite brushing my teeth and using mouthwash). But it was so delicious, it was worth it. So, increase the garlic at your own risk!

For Chicken Cacciatore, Naples Style (the most basic version of cacciatore), you omit the mushrooms, onions, and green peppers. My Mom used to add the mushrooms, but not the green peppers, so it wasn't until years later that I realized that most chicken cacciatore recipes called for green peppers. So, I don't really associate green peppers with cacciatore and as a result, I did not make mine with green peppers this time around either.

Oh, and as always, I doubled the flour mixture to coat my chicken.

Also, let me tell you about my oops moment. The recipes in this cookbook are set out a lot differently than how we write out our recipes today. They have directions, followed by a few ingredients, then more directions, and more ingredients, etc.. For the section about frying the chicken, it referred me to a completely separate recipe. So, I missed the part where you coat the chicken in flour and THEN dip it in the egg mixture, and I missed the dipping in Parmesan cheese section altogether. I instinctively followed the current traditional breading procedures in use today--namely, I dipped the chicken in the egg mixture and then coated it in the flour mixture before placing it in the oil to brown. I think the chicken would have been a little crispier had I followed the original instructions, but it still tasted great.


Now, drum roll please...

Bonus recipe!

Marinara Sauce

(Pictured above on top of our Meaty Calzones)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup olive oil
2 medium-size cloves garlic, sliced
3 1/2 cups canned tomatoes, sieved (one 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes mixed in a blender until smooth)
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon chopped parsley
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a large skillet and cook sliced garlic until browned. Mix tomatoes, salt, oregano, chopped parsley, and pepper. Add tomato mixture slowly, stirring constantly.

Cook rapidly uncovered for about 15 minutes or until thickened. Stir occasionally.

If sauce becomes too thick, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup water. Serve hot over cooked spaghetti or linguine.

Source: Same as the others!

Notes: I decided to share this lovely recipe because it is just as yummy and authentic, but you'll notice that it's about ten times quicker and easier than the others! You could add sauteed mushrooms, browned beef or sausage, or your favorite meatballs to this sauce too, if you wanted!

You could easily reduce the olive oil to 1/4 cup to save yourself some calories without skimping on flavor.

Wait? There's more? Another drum roll please!...

Bonus dessert recipe!

Enjoy it for me! I love Spumoni, but sadly, due to my son's tree nut allergy, I won't be making recipes that call for tree nuts for a long, long time. I'll have to wait until he goes off to camp for boy scouts to indulge myself! Considering the fact that he's currently only 2 1/2 years old, I have a long time to wait. I'll just have to take care of my nut cravings when I'm out on dates with my husband (oh wait, with two little ones, we don't get out often...so when am I going to have nuts? Boo hoo!).

This is a tried and true recipe, however. My grandma used to make it and according to my Mom, it is fantastic. However, the recipe states that it is "surprisingly easy" to make. After reading through this recipe, I would say this is anything but surprisingly easy to make. Not many people (if any) had access to ice cream makers back in the 50's, so making ice cream was much more labor intensive.

So, I'm going to share an updated version of the recipe that I created that works more for us today. Additionally, according to my grandma's notes, she always tripled the recipe, so for the original recipe, I will keep the original amounts and for the updated recipe, I will triple it.

Also, the historical note from the recipe is interesting...if not quite idyllic. It's sad to think of rich Romans sending their slaves up the mountain for snow so that they could have their frozen treats. I guess we can thank the service of countless unnamed individuals for the legacy they left us. Because of them, we can enjoy all of our frozen favorites that we snack on today. I hope they at least got to sneak some in the kitchen before serving it to their masters!



Spumone

Frozen desserts date back to the days of ancient Rome when they were frozen with snow and ice brought down from the mountains by slaves. For centuries, Italians have been masters of the art of making frozen desserts--including ices, frozen custards, and fancy, molded ice creams, all said to have originated in Italy.

Multi-colored and multi-flavored Spumoni is one of the most popular Italian ice creams. Usually prepared commercially, here is a surprisingly easy Spumone to delight your family and entice your friends.

Ingredients:

1 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1/2 sq. (1/2 oz.) chocolate
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons rum extract
1/2 cup chilled whipping cream
1 tablespoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon pistachio extract
Green food coloring
1 maraschino cherry, drained and chilled
1/2 cup chilled whipping cream
1 tablespoon sugar
6 unblanched almonds, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Directions:

Chill a bowl, beaters, and mold in the freezer.

On low heat (or in double boiler), scald milk and then stir in 1/2 cup sugar and salt.

Vigorously stir about 3 Tbsp. of hot mixture into the 3 slightly beaten egg yolks. Immediately blend into milk mixture. Cook over low heat (or over simmering water in double boiler), stirring constantly, about 5 minutes, or until mixture coats a silver spoon. Remove from heat and cool.

Meanwhile, melt chocolate and set aside.

Stir heavy whipping cream into egg mixture. Divide mixture equally into two bowls.

Chocolate Layer (first step):

Add melted chocolate to mixture in one bowl, mixing thoroughly. Place in the refrigerator (this will be used again towards the end).

Rum Layer:

Add rum extract to milk mixture in remaining bowl, mixing well. Freeze until just mushy.

Once the milk/rum mixture is mushy, pour it into the chilled bowl and beat with chilled beater until mixture is smooth and creamy. Spoon into chilled mold and freeze until firm.

Pistachio Layer:

Beat 1/2 cup chilled whipping cream in a chilled bowl with a chilled beater until cream stands in peaks when beater is slowly lifted upright. Fold or beat sugar and pistachio extract into whipped cream with final few strokes until well blended. To tint whipped cream desired color, fold in green food coloring, a drop at a time (about 2 drops total). Spoon whipped cream mixture over FIRM rum ice cream. Return mold to freezer. When pistachio cream becomes firm, place the maraschino cherry on top of the cream in the center. Return to the freezer.

Almond Layer:

Beat 1/2 cup chilled whipping cream in a chilled bowl with a chilled beater until cream stands in peaks when beater is slowly lifted upright. Fold or beat the sugar, finely chopped almonds, and almond extract into the whipped cream.

Spoon whipped cream mixture over FIRM pistachio cream. Return mold to freezer.

Chocolate Layer (second and final step):

When almond cream is firm, place the chocolate ice cream mixture into the freezer. Freeze until mushy. Turn into a chilled bowl and beat with a chilled beater until mixture is smooth and creamy. Spoon mixture over FIRM almond whipped cream. Cover mold with waxed paper.

Return to freezer and freeze for 6-8 hours, or until Spumone is very firm.

to remove the mold, quickly dip the mold into warm water.

Makes 6-8 wedge-shaped servings.

Source: Same as the others!

Notes: Holy cannoli! I can't believe my grandma used to go to the trouble to make this! And wouldn't it super stink at the end if the ice cream didn't come out of the mold right?

It's fun to read this recipe though because a lot of terms have changed (I edited it to make it easier to follow in today's world). The recipe talks about setting your refrigerator control for a colder operating temperature in order to chill your bowl and beaters. It also calls the freezer the "freezing compartment" among other things.

Can you imagine what a pain this recipe would have been to make in 1955? Let alone 55 A.D.? Why did anyone go to the trouble? And did anyone have time to make dinner after spending the whole day making spumoni ice cream?

Thank goodness for ice cream makers!

Also, what's up with the single maraschino cherry smack dab in the middle of the whole thing? According to the picture in the cookbook, if you slice it just right when you serve it, you will daintily cut into the maraschino cherry and each diner will get a lovely sliver of cherry in their ice cream. But more likely, one lucky chap got the whole cherry in his piece because what are the chances that you'll cut the ice cream mold just right so everyone gets a piece of cherry?


Above: I wonder how many spumoni molds they had to cut through to get this picture.

If you want the cherries in your ice cream, you can chop up some maraschino cherries and incorporate them into either the rum or the pistachio layers of ice cream.

Below, you will find my updated version of this recipe. Forget the mold and the chilled bowl and beaters. However, even with the updated version of the recipe, it's pretty time-consuming because you are basically making four different flavors of ice cream that you are going to put together in the end. So, unless you have four ice cream makers, you're going to have to make the ice cream in batches. But at least it's much less labor-intensive than the original recipe!

You could even combine the chocolate and rum flavors into one chocolate rum flavor and have three kinds of ice cream instead of four. That would work pretty well flavor-wise. Or, you could choose your favorites and only make three flavors of ice cream. So, if rum isn't your thing...skip it. Or, if you're not in the mood for almonds, don't make that layer. Many versions of spumoni use strawberries. You could use strawberries in place of the maraschino cherries or as a replacement for the rum or almond layers. It's up to you! Have fun with it and get creative.

Or, you could make it over the course of a few days. You could make one or two layers/flavors a day rather than doing it all in one day. But you can see more for yourself in the updated recipe below.

Spumoni Ice Cream--Updated Version

Ingredients:

Base Ice Cream Recipe (used for the chocolate and rum layers/flavors):

3 cups milk
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp salt
9 egg yolks, slightly beaten
3 cups heavy whipping cream

Chocolate Ice Cream:

1 1/2 oz. chocolate

Rum Ice Cream:

5 tsp. rum extract (or to taste--1 to 2 tsp. is probably plenty)
1/2 cup Maraschino cherries, drained and chopped, optional
Red food coloring, optional

Pistachio Ice Cream:

1 1/2 cups chilled whipping cream
3 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. pistachio extract
Green food coloring

Almond Ice Cream:

1 1/2 cups whipping cream
3 Tbsp. sugar
6 unblanched almonds, finely chopped
1/2 to 1 tsp. almond extract (1/2 tsp or 1 tsp. depending on your taste)

Directions:

Scald milk over low heat or in a double boiler. Stir in 1 1/2 cups sugar and salt.

Vigorously stir about 1/2 cup of the hot mixture into the 9 slightly beaten egg yolks. Immediately blend the egg mixture into the milk mixture in the pan or double boiler. Cook over low heat (or simmering water, if using double boiler), stirring constantly, about 5 minutes, or until mixture coats a silver spoon. Remove from heat and cool.

Meanwhile, melt chocolate and set aside.

Once the milk/egg mixture is cooled, stir in 3 cups heavy whipping cream. Divide this mixture evenly between two bowls.

Chocolate Ice Cream:

Add the melted chocolate to the mixture in one of the bowls and mix thoroughly. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Once finished, place ice cream in a freezer safe container and put in the freezer to set up. Wash the ice cream maker's canister to get it ready for the next round!

Rum/Maraschino Ice Cream:

While the chocolate ice cream is in the ice cream maker, mix the rum extract into the milk/egg mixture in the other bowl. Place in the refrigerator until your chocolate ice cream is finished. Once the chocolate ice cream is setting up in the freezer, stir the maraschino cherries into the rum/milk mixture, if you are using them (Note: if you prefer, you can mix the maraschino cherries into the pistachio ice cream mixture instead of the rum mixture). Add the red food coloring at this time, if you are using it. It is completely optional.

Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Once finished, place ice cream in a freezer safe container and put in the freezer to set up. (Note: if you want to do your Spumoni in layers and the chocolate layer is already firm enough, you could spoon the rum layer directly over the chocolate layer and put it back in the freezer to set up.) Wash the ice cream maker's canister to get it ready for round three!

Pistachio Ice Cream:

While the Rum/Maraschino ice cream is in the ice cream maker, stir 1 1/2 cups whipping cream, 3 Tbsp. sugar, pistachio extract, and desired amount of green food coloring together in a bowl until well-blended. Place in the refrigerator until your rum/Maraschino ice cream is finished. Once the rum ice cream is setting up in the freezer, freeze the pistachio ice cream in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Once finished, place ice cream in a freezer safe container and put in the freezer to set up. (Note: Again, if you want to do your Spumoni in layers and the rum layer is already firm enough, you could spoon the pistachio layer directly over the rum layer and put it back in the freezer to set up.) Wash the ice cream maker's canister to get it ready for the fourth and final round!

Almond Ice Cream:

While the pistachio ice cream is in the ice cream maker, stir 1 1/2 cups whipping cream, 3 Tbsp. sugar, finely chopped almonds, and almond extract together in a bowl until well-blended. Place in the refrigerator until your pistachio ice cream is finished. Once the pistachio ice cream is setting up in the freezer, freeze the almond ice cream in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Once finished, place ice cream in a freezer safe container and put in the freezer to set up. (Note: Yet again, if you want to do your Spumoni in layers and the pistachio layer is already firm enough, you could spoon the almond layer directly over the pistachio layer and put it back in the freezer to set up.)

Get your husband to wash the ice cream maker's canister because you've already done it a ton of times!

Options for putting it together:

1. Layered: As noted in the recipe, if the previously made layer of ice cream is already firm enough, you can spoon and freeze the next layer of ice cream directly on top of it. This would work great if you made each batch of ice cream over the course of a few days. For instance, you could make the chocolate layer on Tuesday. Then, you could make the rum layer on Wednesday. The chocolate layer would be frozen firm, so you could spoon the rum layer right on top of it and put it back in the freezer. Then, you could make the pistachio layer on Thursday and spoon it right on top of the rum layer and freeze it again. Finally, you could finish with the almond layer on Friday. you could spoon the almond layer right over the pistachio layer and pop it back in the freezer. Then you could enjoy your beautifully layered spumoni ice cream on Saturday or Sunday!
   
2. Layered: If you are making this all in one day, once each flavor of ice cream is somewhat set up (but not frozen too hard because you will need to spoon it out of one container into another. To do so, it will need to be soft enough to be spreadable), you can alternately layer each flavor of ice cream in a freezer safe container and freeze until completely set and ready to serve. Then, when you scoop the ice cream out, you will have nice chocolate, rum, pistachio, and almond layers.
3. Swirled: Once each flavor of ice cream is somewhat set up (but not frozen too hard as explained in the option above), you can gently swirl the different flavors of ice cream together with a spoon in a freezer safe container and freeze until completely set and ready to serve. The ice cream will be a swirl of brown, white, green, and pink (if you decide to use red food coloring). Then, when you scoop the ice cream out, each spoonful will be a surprise. You never know what flavors each spoonful will hold.
4. Separated: Simply, you can keep all four flavors of ice cream frozen separately in separate containers. When you are ready to serve your spumoni, you can offer each person one small scoop of each kind of ice cream in their bowls.

Notes: So, yeah, maybe there's really no easy way to make this kind of ice cream! Go and buy yourself some or enjoy some after your meal at The Old Spaghetti Factory! Maybe someday when my son is off to college or if they ever come up with a cure for tree nut allergies, I'll make this decadent and delicious ice cream! Oh! I miss nuts!

Above: This picture of spumoni ice cream from The Old Spaghetti Factory was found on a blog that featured a review of the restaurant. You can read the full review here. But it looks like The Old Spaghetti Factory layers their spumoni ice cream so that when it is scooped, the different layers are visible.